New Star Wars fan art imagines Qui-Gon Jinn alive during the Clone Wars era. An unusual Jedi, Qui-Gon was played in live-action (and some voice appearances) by Liam Neeson, and first appeared in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace as young Obi-Wan Kenobi's (Ewan McGregor) mentor. When the pair came across young Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd) on Tatooine, Qui-Gon became convinced that the force-sensitive boy was the Chosen One he had read about in the ancient Jedi prophecies. Tragically, Qui-Gon didn't survive the first prequel film due to his slaying at the hands of Darth Maul (Ray Park).
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Qui-Gon's death wasn't the end for his character, though it took him a long time to put his Force knowledge to use in order to become the first official Force ghost in Star Wars. Qui-Gon's death in the film led to Obi-Wan becoming Anakin's (Hayden Christensen) Jedi master, and the two wound up fighting alongside each other in the Clone Wars. Though Anakin lost the father figure and mentor he could have had in Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan did his best to live up to his master and shared a close bond with his padawan during the contentious Clone Wars era, which eventually ended in tragedy when Anakin turned to the dark side. Due to the influence Qui-Gon had over so many important Star Wars characters, many have wondered how things might have turned out if Qui-Gon had lived through that era.
Now, Uzuri Art imagined the character in that setting. Qui-Gon wears the Clone Wars armor seen on many Jedi, like Obi-Wan, during appearances in properties such as popular animated Star Wars: The Clone Wars series as well as Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. Check out the post below:
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How Qui-Gon Living Would Have Changed Star Wars
Qui-Gon surviving past The Phantom Menace would have had a huge impact on the events of the franchise. Crucially, Qui-Gon was a specific type of Jedi who was known for following his own moral philosophy rather than blindly following the orders of the Jedi Council, a trait he shared with Anakin that often got the younger Jedi into trouble. Due to Anakin's eventual fallout with the Council, it's likely that he would have found solace in Qui-Gon's frustration with the Jedi Order. After the Jedi Council dismissed Anakin and added to his confusion about his loyalties, Qui-Gon's unwavering belief in him could have offered the troubled young man the stability he needed to stay on course. There's some evidence for this, as Anakin heard the voice of his old master crying out as he killed the Tusken Raiders on Tatooine in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones. Additionally, Qui-Gon never let the war distract him from the Jedi's true role as peacekeepers, meaning it's likely that he would have realized the dark forces gathering.
Qui-Gon's potential to stop Anakin's turn to the dark side and keep the Sith from returning makes his death all the more tragic, though it's clear that the tragedy was necessary to catalyze the events of the prequels and original trilogy. Despite his passing, his appearance in Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi delighted viewers, who will see more of the fan-favorite Jedi in animated form in Tales of the Jedi. In terms of a live-action return, Neeson has previously said that he would return to Star Wars for a film, but fans may see him sooner in Obi-Wan Kenobi season 2.